Find cycle in array
Last updated: March 4, 2026
Quick Overview
Given an array of integers where each element represents a jump to the next index, determine if there is a cycle in the array. A cycle occurs if you can start at any index and return to that index by following the jumps. Your solution should efficiently identify the presence of a cycle and return a boolean value indicating the result.
Tesla
March 4, 202668
9
1,525 solved
Given an array of integers where each element represents a jump to the next index, determine if there is a cycle in the array. A cycle occurs if you can start at any index and return to that index by following the jumps. Your solution should efficiently identify the presence of a cycle and return a boolean value indicating the result.
Coding interviews at Tesla focus on problem-solving approach as much as the final solution. The interviewer wants to see you break down the problem, consider edge cases, and optimize iteratively. Communication throughout the process is key.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Quickly identify the optimal approach and its theoretical basis
- Handle complex algorithm design with multiple interacting components
- Write concise, elegant code under time pressure
- Prove correctness of your approach and discuss alternative solutions
- Optimize beyond the obvious: discuss constant factor improvements
- Address follow-up variations and explain how the solution generalizes
Key Topics to Cover
How to Approach This
- Clarify input constraints and edge cases before writing code.
- Walk through your approach verbally and confirm with the interviewer before coding.
- Start with a brute force solution, then optimize. Mention time and space complexity.
- Test your solution with examples, including edge cases like empty input or duplicates.
- Consider common patterns: sliding window, two pointers, hash map, BFS/DFS, dynamic programming.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- Can you optimize the space complexity of your solution?
- What if the input doesn't fit in memory?
- Can you solve this in a single pass?
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Problem Analysis
To determine if there is a cycle in the array, we can utilize the Floyd's Cycle-Finding Algorithm, also known as the tortoise and hare algorithm. This approach is suitable here because it allows u...
Approach
- Initialize two pointers:
slowandfast. Set both to the start of the array (index 0). - Move
slowby one step (i.e.,slow = arr[slow]), and movefastby two steps (i.e., `fast = arr[ar...
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